Great Lakes Science Center Opens Mather Museum Connector

Thursday, October 22, 2009
Topics: Education, Other
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The Great Lakes Science Center will cut the ribbon Thursday to open a new glass-enclosed connector to the Steamship William G. Mather Museum.

Construction of the connector has been underway since September of last year, and is intended to strengthen the link between the two facilities, which merged in 2006.

It also paves the way for the Mather - a 618 foot bulk freighter built in 1925 - to open to visitors year round. 

“This is phase one of what will be a multi-phase project,” said Linda Abraham Silver is President and CEO of the Science Center.  “Our next step, of course, is to renovate all of the exhibitions on board the boat, and acclimatize the boat so that we’ve got heating and air conditioning running and able to accommodate visitors nicely year round.  Now that’ll take us a little more time to do. “

Exactly how long, Abraham-Silver said, is unclear - hopefully within two to three years. 

She says one goal is to power the ships lighting by fuel cell, adding to the Science Center’s other advanced energy exhibitions - the wind turbine and solar panels located in front of the building. 

Today’s ribbon-cutting will take place at 5:30 pm Thursday at the Science Center.